Proverbs 9

Wisdom versus Foolishness

¹Wisdom has built her house; ^a

she has carved out her seven pillars.

²She has prepared her meat; ^b she has mixed her wine; ^c

she has also set her table. ^d

³She has sent out her female servants; ^e

she calls out from the highest points of the city: ^f

⁴“Whoever is inexperienced, enter here! ”

To the one who lacks sense, ^g she says,

⁵“Come, eat my bread, ^h

and drink the wine I have mixed.

⁶Leave inexperience behind, and you will live;

pursue the way of understanding.

⁷The one who corrects a mocker

will bring abuse on himself;

the one who rebukes the wicked will get hurt. ⁱ

⁸Don’t rebuke a mocker, or he will hate you; ^j

rebuke the wise, and he will love you. ^k

⁹Instruct the wise, and he will be wiser still;

teach the righteous, and he will learn more. ^l

¹⁰“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, ^m

and the knowledge of the Holy One ⁿ is understanding.

¹¹For by me your days will be many,

and years will be added to your life.

¹²If you are wise, you are wise for your own benefit; ^o

if you mock, you alone will bear the consequences.”

¹³Folly is a rowdy woman; ^p

she is gullible and knows nothing. ^q

¹⁴She sits by the doorway of her house,

on a seat at the highest point of the city,

¹⁵calling to those who pass by,

who go straight ahead on their paths: ^r

¹⁶“Whoever is inexperienced, enter here! ”

To the one who lacks sense, she says,

¹⁷“Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten secretly is tasty! ” ^s

¹⁸But he doesn’t know that the departed spirits are there, ^t

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol. ^u